Conventional rotator cuff repair complemented by the aid of mononuclear autologous stem cells.

PURPOSE: To investigate the behavior of rotator cuff tears treated with conventional repair technique with the aid of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC). METHODS: Fourteen consecutive patients (9 women, 5 men, mean age of 59.2 years) with complete rotator cuff tears (mean preoperative UCLA score of 12 ± 3.0) were fixed by transosseous stitches through mini-open incision, with subsequent injection of BMMC into the tendon borders, obtained from the iliac crest just prior to surgery. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) were acquired before and after surgery and evaluated by two musculoskeletal radiologists regarding new postoperative findings of patients treated with BMMC. RESULTS: After a minimum 12-month follow-up period, the UCLA score increased from 12 ± 3.0 to 31 ± 3.2. Clinical findings remained unaltered in the following year in all but one patient (13/14). MRI analysis after a 12-month follow-up period demonstrated tendon integrity in all cases (14/14), presence of low-signal intensity areas along the supraspinatus tendon and distal muscle belly in 8 cases (8/14), and high-intensity blooming small round artifact at the bursal and tendon topography in 11 cases (11/14). Six patients (6/14) showed formation of a high-signal intensity zone at the critical zone. Clinical findings remained unaltered in the following year in all but one patient, who relapsed into loss of strength and pain, being considered a bad result. CONCLUSION: Implantation of BMMC in rotator cuff sutures appears to be a safe and promising alternative to other biological approaches currently used to enhance tissue quality in affected tendons.

Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation: Repair Through Open Ligament Transfer and Nonabsorbable Suture Fixation.

Acromioclavicular (AC) joint instability is a fairly common and particularly limiting injury that may result in persistent pain and reduced quality of life. In most cases, conservative management is successful. However, in the case of a severe AC joint dislocation, surgical intervention may be warranted. Previous surgical techniques for treatment of AC joint instability include screw fixation between the coracoid and clavicle, coracoacromial ligament transfer from its acromial insertion to the clavicle, and reconstruction of the coracoacromial and/or coracoclavicular ligaments. The purpose of this Technical Note is to describe our preferred technique for the treatment of a high-grade AC dislocation through coracoacromial ligament transfer to the lateral clavicle and nonabsorbable suture fixation between the coracoid process and clavicle.